Wanderer's Book of Challenges
by Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog
Summary: Just a bunch of random one-shots and forum challenges. Please enjoy! Rated T for precaution.
1. It's All in a Name

**A forum challenge for "A Perfect Circle." Hope you enjoy!**

Rowanheart blinked open her eyes. The air around her was calm and peaceful as a gentle breeze danced among the vibrant leaves of towering trees overhead. Everything was peacefully still, except it seemed to Rowanheart that she could almost hear all the lush plants living and growing. But she was far from alone, different cats of all ages and sizes watched her silently as stars gathered around their paws and countless moons of wisdom brimmed in the depths of their ancient eyes.

Suddenly, a faint flicker of movement at the edge of her vision caught her attention. A beautiful white she-cat with golden patches had materialized from the crowd and now her regal form had stopped right in front of Rowanheart. She gazed at the smaller brown she-cat with all the love in the world swimming in the depths of her warm golden eyes.

The she-cat remained silent a moment before speaking with a soft and delicate voice, "Greetings young one, I am known as Goldenflight, you do not now me as I died several moons before you were born."

Goldenflight stepped closer to Rowanheart, "With this life, I give you sympathy. Use it well to care for and understand the misunderstood and the innocent"

With that the white and golden she-cat pressed her nose to Rowanheart's. Immediately a huge weight seemed to bear down on Rowanheart's shoulders and it felt like claws had plunged into her chest and was tearing her heart out from her very chest. Rowanheart gasped with surprise and she screwed her eyes shut as the pain burned and seared it's way through her body. All the memories of heartbreak, betrayal, and loss swelled within her and she bit her tongue to keep from wailing in grief for the unfortunate souls. As quickly as it had started, the pain and the miserable memories of the suffering subsided leaving her on shaky paws.

She blinked open her amber eyes just in time to see the regal she-cat fade back into the crowd only to be replaced by a reddish brown tom with glowing amber eyes. Her knees shook as familiarity welled within her. The last time she had seen him, his body was emaciated from starvation and greencough. Now he looked perfectly healthy and well-fed.

He no longer looked old as youthfulness and humor once again toyed with the features of his handsome face. "Reedfeather, I'm sorry you should have been deputy..." her voice cracked with grief as she greeted her former mentor and deputy.

He flashed her a sad grin but his eyes shone with pride, "there was nothing you could do." He stated simply before leaning in, "With this life I give you strength. Use it not to vanquish others, but to carry and stand tall for you loved ones and clanmates."

He gently pressed his cold nose to hers and she immediately felt strength and energy flowing though her body, so strong it almost knocked her off her paws. She once again closed her eyes. She felt like she could run for an enternity. She felt the rush of battle in her veins as she protected her family and clanmates. She felt like she could defeat any foe. She felt like she could never grow old. The pulsing sensation soon faded away, leaving the she-cat breathless and exhilarated. Her former mentor flashed her one last smile before disappearing into the multitude with a flick of his bushy red tail.

Her heart jumped into her throat as she was overwhelmed with grief again when she recognized her father's familiar black pelt flash among the seated cats.

Her father stopped before her with pride and love plastered onto his face, "With this life I give you justice. Use it well to protect the innocent and to have mercy upon the guilty."

He touched his nose to her's and it was all she could to not recoil from the pain that shot through her body. It felt like her entire pelt was alight with flame. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth as confusion swam in her head making her dizzy. Countless thoughts and images flowed though her mind as her fur continued to burn. Soon the images slowed, and as her mind gained clarity, her fur began to cool. The she-cat's eyes fluttered open and she looked around wearily, waiting for her next life.

Rowanheart panted with exhaustion and her body ached. Her lives had gone by quickly but they were painful and it took all her strength to keep herself upright on her own paws. The brown she-cat felt her heart drop as one last cat, a large black and white tom with green eyes halted in front of her.

A faint smile cracked her lips, "Spiderstar it's good to see you."

The noble tom didn't answer but his eyes shone with the same wisdom and understanding that he possessed in his long life spent in RiverClan.

He opened his mouth to speak, "with this last life, I give you wisdom. Never be afraid to seek advice from the elders as sometimes the key to the furture lies in the past."

The large tom pressed his nose to Rowanheart's. This life wasn't painful like the others, instead it filled her with a deep sense of knowing and a pleasant calm washed over her body. The she-cat's tense muscles loosened as she knew her clan had been around for countless generations and would still be around for countless more.

Rowanheart felt at peace and she blinked open her eyes to meet the green gaze of Spiderstar.

He smiled and dipped his head to her before yowling, "I hail you by your new name, Rowanstar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of RiverClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity!"

The newly named Rowanstar felt pride flash through her pelt as countless upon countless generations of mighty warrior ancestors chanted her name to the sky. She had been granted gifts from StarClan and she would use them to the best of her ability.

Soon the world slowly faded, and Rowanstar found her nose pressed to a cold hard rock. But the voices of the past still rang in her ears and the images of her ancestors still lingered in her mind.


	2. Story of My Life

**Another forum challenge for "A Perfect Circle," please enjoy!**

A battered black and white tom lay on the ground as a vicious battle waged around him. His breaths were shallow and rapid as several deep wounds littered his once sleek pelt. Thick red blood stained his white fur red and black dots swam around his vision as he began fading from the world. Everything was blurry. He could only make out the writhing forms of fighting cats but he could perfectly hear the sounds of screeches and grief-stricken wails resounding throughout the blood-covered clearing.

His clanmates were suffering and there was nothing he could do about it. Bitter resentment threatened to choke the already dying tom and he felt hatred towards himself for letting this happen. He allowed a muffled gasp of grief escape his parched mouth and he squeezed his eyes shut, begging StarClan to end it already. _I couldn't save them all_. The thought stung him hard. He realized he would no longer laugh and joke with his clanmates as he used too. He would miss every single one of them. Their happy faces flashed in his mind as warm memories resurfaced. He smiled softly to himself as he rembered his kit's apprentice ceremonies. Oh how proud he was on that day. But darker thoughts lingered at the edge of his consciousness. They were gone now, dead. Leaving him with only wisps of memory to cling too.

By now his rapid breathing had slowed as his life continued to seep away. The once mighty tom could feel his heartbeat growing slower and slower. Despair and loneliness pierced his struggling heart with hot thorn-sharp claws. He would never see his mate again. His beautiful mate and the mother of his kits. Flashes of lazy green-leaf afternoons spent lounging and fishing by the river with her surfaced in his mind. He desperately longed for the soft embrace of her fur and her sweet scent. But her existence had faded away. She had left him alone in this world to follow the souls of her precious children.

The tom's thoughts were cut off arubtly as his body heaved from a coughing fit that left blood trickling down his mouth. He felt strangely peaceful. The sounds of his clan's suffering were now but a dull hum in his skull as his vision continued to grow ever darker and dimmer. He felt calm spread through his body as death overtook him. He smiled on last time as darkness completely enveloped his vision and one final breath escaped his worn body. Hopefully, his family would be waiting for him.

Bright sunlight shone against his eyelids. His body no longer hurt and his spirit finally felt free from all the struggles and torments of life. A soft breeze pleasantly caressed his fur as the leaves rustled over his head. The tom slowly blinked open his eyes. Gigantic trees towered over head as gentle yet soft sunlight filtered through the vibrant green leaves. The roots of the trees were thick and gnarled into the ground, but they added an ancient feel to the pleasant and warm atmosphere. He slowly looked around blissfully; He was completely alone. Nothing but himself and the soft whispering of the breeze in his ears.

He froze, as an achingly familiar sweet scent washed over him. "Spiderstar!" A voice cried. He turned with happiness in his eyes as three figures stood before him. One a beautiful silver tabby she-cat stepped forward, "Berryleaf!" He cried and raced to touch noses with her. For a moment they stood there like that; settled in each other's embrace. Worry suddenly grabbed at Spiderstar's heart as his eyes clouded, "What about RiverClan?" Berryleaf purred, "they'll be fine, especially with Rowanheart in your place." Pride smiled upon his face as he rembered his faithful deputy and his worries immediately vanished at the thought. Berryleaf pressed closer to him and her breath stirred his ear fur, "welcome to StarClan, my love."


	3. Adrenaline

A flash of brown raced through the trees. Nothing could be heard except its panting breath and the crunch of leaves under its pounding paws. In one fluid movement, the feline figure soared over a log obstructing it's path. The cat landed heavily on its paws making it stumble slightly, a soft gasp of surprise escaped the creature before it quickly regained it's balance and raced off into the bushes.

A snapping of twigs and the crunching of leaves suddenly grew louder as a swift, sly-looking red creature raced after the first. It's paws gently thrummed against the soft earth as leaves flew up in the wake of its hindpaws. It quickly cleared the fallen log with ease and with a flick of its bushy tail, vanished into the bushes as it pursued it's fleeing prey.

Owlpaw pressed his ears flat to his head as the forest flashed by him in an indisginushable gray mass of trees. Twigs and leaves whipped his face as he crashed through the undergrowth, leaving small scratches on his nose that stung. But Owlpaw kept running, he had too. His legs burned, and he struggled to keep his breath steady. The tips of the dried bracken behind him swayed and twitched as a large creature paitently stalked him in the undergrowth. It's foul, heavy breathing came out in slow, steady breaths and it's enormous paws carelessly snapped twigs and fallen branches that littered the ground.

Owlpaw halted panting in a clearing ringed by bracken and bushes. He looked wildly around expecting whatever it was to appear out of nowhere. His fur raised along his spine as he gazed madly around at the clumps of undergrowth. He pricked his ears, but he could not hear anything but his ragged breathing and the sound of his heart roaring in his ears. Suddenly, red flashed in the corner of his eye and his head instinctively snapped around to look at the spot. But all he caught was the slight rustling movement of the bushes.

His ears pricked as the bracken suddenly started to rattle furiously. He could barely make out the shadowed figured that slowly stalked around the clearing, concealed by the bushes. Then it stopped and the undergrowth stopped rustling. He could hear it sniffing among the leaves.

Owlpaw's chest tightened painfully as a rank odor was becoming more potent, it wreathed and engulfed his senses making his eyes water. His nose scrunched up involuntarily at the horrible smell. He froze, a long, narrow muzzle was sticking out of the bushes. The corners of its mouth lifted into a cruel sneer, revealing dozens of broken yellow teeth. A low growl erupted from the bushes and in a quick motion, it sprang from the bushes and landed on Owlpaw.

It was on him in a flurry of claws and teeth, snarling as Owlpaw felt the fox viciously tearing his pelt apart. The tom yowled in pure agony as he was being mauled, Owlpaw vainly scratched and bit at the larger creature but the fox had managed to hook onto his scruff and was now shaking him violently.

Owlpaw screeched and hissed but the fox flung him right into a nearby tree. Owlpaw hit the trunk hard and slipped to the ground in a hazy stupor. His vision slowly began fading in and out, the last thing he saw was the fox's horrible yellow teeth bared close to his face.


	4. What's Hiding in the Shadows?

**Please enjoy another Challenge from the forum, "A Perfect Circle!"**

Upon a dreadful dreary, the landscape flows with eerie silence. Not one breath of wind stirs the withered cadavers of the leaves grasping to the claw-like fingers of the emaciated trees. There is no underbrush; so strands of silky mist elegantly wreath and writhe around their gleaming trunks which threaten to swallow any passer-by in their cloudy depths. Still, I hurry on through the lightless forest. My breath, my shallow breath, flows through cracked lips in tiny clouds of white. There is only one problem; I am utterly lost. I have never even seen this place before and I am quite unsure of how I came to be here.

Not one moaning whistle of the phantom-like wind meets my ears and everything sits in silence. _Dreadful, horrible silence!_ In my mind's agony, nothing stirs. _Nothing at all!_ The trees, the cruel twisted trees, grimace down upon me with their solemn and ghoulish faces saying nothing in their tortuous silence. But still they stare smugly watching me as I continue to wander aimlessly among their trunks.

Although incomprehensible, malignant voices erupt from the shadows. I look wildly around expecting some foul marauder to descend upon me, but it must have been some bothersome fantasy since I could hear them no more. I stare into the thick fog for a few moments longer with nothing but silence and my fluttering heart in my ears before continuing down my path. Suddenly, a boisterous breeze brushes the brittle mangled bodies of the leaves hanging overhead making me jump slightly. I swallow as my chest begins to tighten and my tongue runs nervously over my dry lips. It must be due to my extreme state of nervousness that I hear soft, barely audible pawsteps register in the back of my consciousness. Slow and steady, sure and true. But now I am sure I can distinguish reality among my fantasies as they continue to creep ever closer. A delirious state unfortunately envelops me and in a frightful manner, hurries my steps even faster.

To my absolute horror, my conspicuous follower quickens its pace also. The unknown phantom pays no heed to the noise it makes almost as if it wants me to know it is there. Pawsteps grow increasingly faster, as it brushes the leaves, footfalls pounding against the hard, packed earth. My own steady gait suddenly explodes into a complete run as I am pursued.

Visions of bleak, gray feline figures flash in the corners of my eyes as I run and I do not hear anything but the sound of my pounding paws and gasping breath. Their solemn yet blank faces stare at me with expressionless and forebodingly empty eyes as I flee.

For some hideously foolish reason, an urge comes over me to face my pursuer. I am not even sure if the actions are my own or if they are the actions of some cruel tyrant in possession of my mind. I stop nevertheless and for some peculiar reason, the pawsteps of my haunter stop also. By now my vision is flashing in and out with the beats of my palpitating heart. I pant nervously despite the cool, frosty air as I slowly turn.

I immediately freeze; before me stands a tall, silhouette of a cat cloaked in shadows. The cat literally has no features whatsoever; only unfathomable dread sits in the place where his face is supposed to be. The creature is peculiar as his physical body flickers and fades much like dappled sunlight, but instead of giving warmth, it pervades the air around it, making it even colder and darker than before. We both sit in silence; the moaning of the breeze from earlier ceases, but something sinister is nagging the back of my mind; a strange itching, sensation almost, worms its way into my racing thoughts.

 _Was it looking at me?_ Upon the realization of the thought, I shiver as a cold feeling spreads through my body. _It was looking at me! How could it look at me if it didn't have any eyes?_ Though I cannot see its eyes, I can most definitely feel the cat's malicious stare piercing my soul. Horror and despair overcome me in that cruel, searching gaze. I immediately fall backwards as an unearthly and bone-chilling shriek shatters my skull. I claw and grab at my ears, willing it to stop only to realize that it was my own voice that unleashed that loathsome noise.

Gathering my scattered wits, I look around me and to my suspicion and joy, the apparition that plagues me had vanished into thin air. Looking around once more, I rise to my shaky knees to continue my endless trek, but every moment is tense with apprehension. I stumble through the dark trees, casting fearful glances all about me with my crazed, bloodshot eyes. I can only help but feel that something is following me yet again.

The gloomy forest only grows darker, and to my surprise, a crow calls out with its raspy voice among the sickly branches. I keep walking for quite a distance; my fear of the masked apparition growing less and less. I even chuckle to think, how foolish I am to fear a nameless phantom overshadowing my pawsteps. The whole incident probably took place within my very mind. But my smile falls, and I shiver, not from the cold but from a strange sense of being alone. I glance up, the bare branches stretch into the bleak sky, scraping the murky moon obscured by the clouds. Darkness leaks from the yawning abyss in between the trees as the shadows curl and wrap around my paws. I shiver again, _after all, who wouldn't be frightened in a place like this?_ Soon I had imagined my figure had all but vanished into the endless depths of the shadows.

I wake with a start, my chest heaving as cold fear inches its way up my spine. I sigh and even smile a little in relief. It had all been a dream. Just a silly little nightmare. I sit up, taking deep breaths to calm my shuddering body. I cannot see anything in the dark den, but even though I have limited visibility, I find the dark quiet and soothing. I rest my head upon my paws again. _It was just a dream: it was just a dream. None of it was real._

I frown, anxiousness begins to gnaw on the edges of my mind and I once again cast hurried glances around the den. There, a flash on the edge of my vision! Something flits by my face and I whip my head around to find nothing there but the outlined bodies of my sleeping clanmates. Dread freezes in my chest and slowly trickles throughout my body as a tall, familiar shadow suddenly materializes beside me. I jump with a start, trying to move my mouth into the workings of a scream, but my mouth hangs open, frozen in silent horror. Lonely despair deadens my limbs as its icy gaze rakes over me once more; the shadow to my horror looks just like... the one from before.

 _Sweet Dreams_

 **A/N: So what do you think the 'shadow' is? Did the narrator forsee his killer in his dream? Was it a cat from the Dark Forest? Or was it simply the imaginings of a lunatic? Tell me what you think in the reviews!**


	5. I'm a Rebel

**Please enjoy another forum challenge!**

I sigh and lay my head on my paws. I had served my clan for many moons and I am now an elder. I remember the days when I used to be young, and when I used to have limitless energy and the best intentions. I smile softly, as a familiar face resurfaces in my mind, its features potraying strength yet gentleness at the same time. I remember the night that had happened a long time ago...

 _I slide silently from the bushes, my silver fur shines and glistens in the light of the moon. I carefully stalk forward, making sure to step lightly as my tall, graceful ears twitch slightly. I lower my muzzle to the ground and sniff tentatively at the fallen leaves. A twig cracks in the distance and my head immediately snaps up to look over my shoulder._

 _"What are you doing here ThunderClan scum?" A voice growled._

 _A huge gray tom was now standing among a swath of bracken, glaring at me with cold, hard amber eyes._

 _A purr escapes my throat, "You nearly scared me out of my fur, Shadepaw!"_

 _The tom's cold amber eyes immediately soften as he purred with laughter, "Well Silverpaw you shouldn't be standing around the ShadowClan border out in the open like a frogbrain."_

 _I purr again and give him a playful shove, "I was only waiting for you mousebrain!"_

I awake from the groggy depths of my memories. We spent the night like that together, telling stories and laughing. I don't know if I felt love for Shadepaw, but every time I saw him, a warm, fuzzy feeling spreaded through my body. Of course that was only our first meeting together, that was soon followed by many more moons of meetings until we became warriors. But of course that was only the beginning of the end.

 _I pad out into the moonlight, excitement coursing through me, I had finally become a warrior! It was the night after my vigil and I could not wait to tell Shadeheart. The bushes rustle to my left and I turn my head to find Shadeheart standing there._

 _His bright amber eyes glowed with happiness, "hey Silverpaw!"_

 _I puff out my chest proudly, "It's Silverflight now."_

 _He steps foward and gives my ear a few affectionate licks,"that's great, Silverflight!"_

 _He pulled away and looked at me again, "I bet you're an amazing warrior."_

 _I purr with laughter, slightly embarrassed by his praise._

I smile again, things were going good for Shadeheart and I. The endless nights spent together never seemed to end.

 _Shadeheart paces to and fro, his tail tip twitching irritably, "what do you mean we can't see each other again?"_

 _I sigh, "I just can't Shadeheart! Thistlebreeze knows about our meetings!"_

 _He stopped pacing, "I'll shred him!" He hissed._

 _I bared my teeth, "no you won't Shadeheart, it's time we start being loyal to our clans._

 _Shadeheart's eyes widened as his mouth hung open in shock. He shook his head and narrowed his eyes, "Fine! At least I now know where your loyalties lie!" He hissed before storming off in the direction of ShadowClan._

 _I stare after him in surprise and hurt. My mixed feelings were soon swallowed by intense anger. I shake my head, "fine!" I hiss at his direction before heading back to ThunderClan._

I frown, things had never been repaired between Shadeheart and myself. A deep sense of regret washes over me, I would have apologized if I could, but I had been too late.

 _I stand over Shadeheart's lifeless body, horror and grief plastered onto my face. ShadowClan had attacked ThunderClan in the middle of the night. The fighting had stopped and Thistlebreeze stood nearby, his claws dripping with the blood of my beloved. His face was twisted with horror and guilt._

 _"I-I didn't mean too." He whispered mournfully._

Reality brings me back to the real world. I am old and my life is worn and spent. Now, I only have the past and faded memories to cling too. I look past the den entrance, out into the sunlight were my clan was thriving. A sad smile crosses my face, I never regretted one night I spent with Shadeheart.


End file.
